Hypothetically
by haveyounomercy
Summary: Friendship can find you in the most unlikeliest of places. For Sanada, meeting Mizuki at an onsen is a bit of a shock. For Mizuki, it's a place to gather blackmail. Well, revenge is sweet, and soon both of them won't stop until the other gives in. Genfic.


**A/N:** It's been a while, eh? This is my first multi-chaptered gen fic, so please be gentle~ This time, I'm mapping out the uh... relationship between two unlikely fellows. For some reason, I see these two getting along quite well after a few bumpy rides and some crazy coincidences. But then, if it's not your cup of tea then I understand. It's kind of weird for me too. "XD

Anyways, just to clarify, this is a **friendship** story. Although I'd love to write some shounen-ai between these two, I think writing comradely bonding would be even more fun. It'll probably be around three to four chapters, so be sure to stick around! One more thing: this story is set in the future, so this is right after Sanada and Mizuki got into their first years of high school.

Disclaimer: Let's be reasonable now, shall we?

* * *

Sanada likes onsens. He likes the way they're calm and peaceful and _quiet_. Quite unlike his usual surroundings at school where everyone is undisciplined and rude. However, he is in no place to say anything, because he is now a freshman at Rikkai Dai High, which means that he must be polite and respectful to his senpai. At least, in the classrooms. On the tennis courts, well, that's another matter.

"Genichiroh, are you thinking about tennis again?"

Sanada snaps out of his daze somewhat sheepishly. "Yes."

His mother tuts from the passenger seat. "We're on vacation now, remember? We didn't come all this way to for you to think about _tennis_, of all things."

"You know your mother wants you to relax and enjoy your summer, Genichiroh." His father puts in, his eyes steadily focussed on the road.

_Tennis is how I relax_. "I'm sorry, mother." Genichiroh forces himself to relax and closes his eyes. It can't be that bad, right? They're only staying at the onsen for two weeks. He'll have a lot of time when he gets back to practise for tennis. After all, he's already surpassed the ranking tournaments, determining a spot next to Yukimura on the Regulars team. He opens his eyes sharply, as if he can see them playing together already.

"Genichiroh."

"Sorry, mother," he closes his eyes again, this time falling asleep to dreams of flying tennis balls and the colour yellow.

"I'm worried about him," Ryouko whispers to her husband. "His grades and manners are perfect-all thanks to me, really-and he's doing excellent in his tea ceremony practising but... he likes tennis far too much to be healthy."

"The boy's found a hobby," her husband Ichirou grunts quietly as his wife looks back at their sleeping son, "don't worry about it."

Ryouko frowns and faces ahead again. "I just hope there's another boy there for him to play with. Maybe take his mind off of tennis."

Ichirou turns on his favourite CD (a melodic tune of flutes and bells) and keeps on driving. They spend the rest of the ride in silence.

* * *

"Oh my, this is really quite nice!" Ryouko smiles pleasantly as she steps into their room, a traditional Japanese style bedroom with futons and everything. Sanada and Ichirou follow after, heavily laden down with bags and suitcases.

"The phone is right here, and there's always people situated in the halls if you need any help. We hope you enjoy your stay." The woman from the front desk bows lowly and retreats quickly back to the main floor.

"Son, why don't you go test out the onsens first? Your mother will spend another two hours inspecting the room for problems." Sure enough, the lady of the house has already travelled into the bathroom, where she is reading all the expiry dates on the soap boxes.

"Thank you," Sanada nods at his father before he opens his own suitcase and grabs his shampoo and a plastic bag for his clothes. He takes the towel that his father gives him and with another nod, he is gone. Stretching while he walks down the halls, his scrunched up expression relaxes as he breathes in the fresh mountain air. Yes, Sanada really likes onsens.

He takes all the scenery in as he walks slowly through the halls. His family frequents this onsen particularly because of its beautiful architecture and traditional Japanese-style furnishing. Once he enters the onsen, he washes himself lightly before going into the hot water. He feels all of his muscles loosen up and he sighs, sinking himself in.

Watching his reflection in the water, he stares at himself with a frown. He only feels even more naked without the presence of his hat. The water is clear and calm and he can see his calf muscles twitching.

He stretches himself out once more and then sits in the shallower end of the hot spring. He removes the towel from his waist and puts it on his forehead, closing his eyes and leaning back.

"Nfu, I'm so tired..." the door opens so abruptly that Sanada doesn't have the time to cover himself. Staring at the open door, his forehead twitches in aggravation and confusion. His mouth opens the slightest bit.

Of all people, _Mizuki Hajime_ is standing at the entrance of the onsen, a towel around his waist and a slightly surprised look on his face.

They stare at each other for what seems like an eternity before Mizuki's eyes trail unashamedly down. Sanada goes bright red and before he can hunch over, Mizuki looks back up, smirks, and then leaves the onsen laughing.

Sanada dunks his head under the water.

"Fuck."

* * *

Mizuki Hajime sees a lot of things as the work of fate. Meeting Yuuta was _fate_. Finding the most fabulous purple sweater in the world was _fate_. Being beaten by Fuji Syuusuke was... well that was not important at the moment.

Meeting Sanada Genichiroh in an onsen? Well, that's just like putting a mouse in a cheese factory.

"Hajime? I thought you were going to the onsen, why are you back so soon?" His mother raises an eyebrow as her son comes prancing into their room.

"Nfu, this is going to be the best summer vacation of my life."

And here he thought that this trip would be boring.

* * *

Sanada stands in front of the sliding door, scowling. He's got all his clothes back on and his hat is on his head securely. He scowls deeper at the handle, as if he wishes he could slap it out of its existence. But then he'd have to pay and apologize for it and his mother would be upset.

He sighs. Sliding the door open reluctantly, he tries to get the sound of Mizuki's laughter out of his head.

He's greeted by a smirking Mizuki. "What's up, dinky-wink?"

The door slides back so fast it makes a huge _SLAM_ noise as Sanada hurriedly puts four metres of distance between himself and the horrible, horrible door.

On the other side of the incriminating door, Mizuki pouts. He'd waited a whole ten minutes outside just to have a door slammed in his face? Oh no, that wasn't fun at all. Smirking, he calls out loudly, "What's wrong, Sanada Genichiroh? Cat got your tongue?"

"What are you doing here?" Sanada states calmly, eyeing the door suspiciously.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm having a well-deserved vacation!"

"Are you stalking me?"

"You're kidding, right? Who'd ever want to stalk _you_?"

"..." Sanada goes silent, not sure of what to say. His hand itches to slap something and his forehead twitches out of utter irritation, but he forces himself to stay calm and not scream. No, he is going to be mature about this. Someone has to be the adult, after all. Taking a few calming breaths, he marches forward, determined to walk right past Mizuki and enjoy the rest of his vacation.

Just as he's about to put his hand on the door, the terrrible thing slides open quickly to show a very satisfied-looking Mizuki. "Well, it doesn't matter. I'm staying here for another two weeks, and nothing's going to stop me from having my fun."

It is only then that Sanada notices that Mizuki is carrying a bright purple fuzzy towel. Said towel is pretty much whacked in his face as Mizuki whirls by, practically pushing the slack-jawed Sanada to the side. Dumbfounded, the vice-captain can't do anything but stare as the other boy disappears behind the changing room and into the showers.

"...I hate you." He says finally.

Mizuki starts to sing.

And that's when Sanada realizes that if he doesn't change this, then his vacation as he knows it is _over_.

* * *

Should he do it? Is it worth the possible humiliation and explanation?

Sanada glares at the phone on his bedside. There really isn't much of a choice, is there? He certainly didn't want to spend the rest of his vacation being teased and leered at by a purple-clad demon. Sighing, he picked up the phone.

_"Hello?"_

"Ah... hello there Yagyuu. This is Sanada."

_"Sanada? Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?"_

"...Yes."

_"Then why are you calling me?"_

"There's been uh, some trouble. I was hoping to..."

_"Yes?"_

"I was hoping to get some... advice."

_"I'm sorry, but I don't understand how you would need advice from me, Sanada. Are you sure you dialled the right number?"_

"Yes, I think so. Yes. You... Niou teases you a lot, doesn't he?"

_"...I suppose so."_

"When he teases you, is there ah, a way to make him stop? H-hypothetically, of course. It's all hypothetical."

_"So you're calling me to ask me what I do when Niou 'teases' me in a hypothetical situation?"_

"That would be correct."

_"Are you getting teased, Sanada-fukubuchou?"_

"It is entirely a hypothetical situation."

_"Alright then. If you were to 'hypothetically' get teased, then the best way to get back at them-in my hypothetical opinion-is to find something about them to tease back. A compromising situation, a secret fear, an embarrassing fact... Hypothetically, of course."_

Sanada pauses and slowly, his mind begins to move. Tease them back, huh? Interesting. "Thank you, Yagyuu. This was very enlightening. I knew it was good to call you."

_"No problem. Goodbye."_

"Goodbye."

After hanging up, Sanada sits on his bed and thinks. Ever since he was small, he's never been good at teasing or making comebacks. Maybe that's part of the reason why he's so violent. If he's going to do this right, then he has to make everything perfect. It has to be the perfect embarrassing moment, so embarrassing that Mizuki won't even be able to talk to him anymore.

And if that didn't work... Well then Sanada would do it his way. His own very violent way.

_...Is this what you call 'sweet revenge'?_

* * *

_OMAKE:_

Yagyuu walks out of his washroom and into his bedroom to see a smirking Niou lying on his bed. He sighs, pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and raises his eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nothing." Niou's smirk is almost enough to drive Yagyuu into a rage itself. Honestly, his mom has to stop letting the rat-tailed boy in his room all the time.

Noticing something, Yagyuu frowns. "Why is my phone in your hand? You didn't call anyone, did you?"

"I didn't call anyone, no I didn't." Niou opens one of Yagyuu's books and starts reading, sprawled all over the bespectacled man's newly pressed bed sheets. Yagyuu tries not to scream.

"Then, did you pick up any of my calls?" Yagyuu asks, sitting on the chair beside his work desk.

Niou only continues reading, that infuriating smirk still playing on his lips. Yagyuu lets out another sigh.

"Honestly, Niou. We're in high school now. Are you seriously still going to keep that 'switch' thing up? I thought we were going to reserve it for tennis only."

Niou lowers his book to wink at his doubles partner. "But don't you think it's fun?"

"That's not the point."

"Then what's the point?"

"You tell me, Niou."

"No, you tell me, _Niou_."

"Don't start with me."

"It's _you_ who started with _me_, Niou."

Yagyuu stares long and hard at the boy on his bed. Closing his eyes, he massages his temples. Finally, he lets out a deep breath and takes off his glasses. Folding them neatly on his desk, he smirks. "Okay then, _Yagyuu_, what do you want to do?"

Niou pulls a pair of spectacles out of his pocket and puts them on slowly. "Get out of my room, _Niou_." Silently, they switch places. Niou sits properly on the work chair. Yagyuu throws himself onto the bed.

Yagyuu laughs harshly as Niou simply glares.

It's a weird friendship.

But then, they're weird people.


End file.
